Amputee Athlete bikes from Florida to New York, stops in RVA

RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – 20 years ago, Hector Picard was shocked while on the job. 13,000 volts of electricity surged through his body, and both of his arms had to be removed as a result of the freak accident.

Now, a double-arm amputee triathlete, Picard is biking from his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to New York City. The journey will take nearly 1,500 miles to complete, at 85 to 100 miles a day.

Wednesday marked day 13 of Hector’s Journey. He took off from the Downtown YMCA in Richmond on his way to Washington, D.C. at 7 o’clock in the morning.

Picard says he’s riding to raise awareness and funding for the I Will Foundation, an organization that helps physically challenged people reach their athletic goals through financial assistance, equipment, and coaching.

Picard says he’s benefited from the organization’s help, and the group is backing him when he competes in the inaugural NYC Ironman event on August 11 of this year.

Click here to learn more about Hector’s ride and to donate. Watch the clip above for Reba and Rob’s live interview with Hector before he hit the road.